What needs to go right?

[Further]

The list could be endless, but what are the most important things that need to go right for the Blazers to improve again and be one of the true contenders?

1) obviously health. A healthy Lillard and so forth...
2) The return and continued growth of Nurk.
3) Zach needs to take a big step forward. Fouls, a consistent touch on offense and learn to hold ground.
4) One of Baz or Mario needs show some serious skills, especially in team defense.
5)Whiteside needs to harness his crazy and return to defensively abuse anyone who dares enter the paint.
6)Simons and Hood need to be the best versions of themselves, consistently.


What else?

 

[THE HCP]

The list could be endless, but what are the most important things that need to go right for the Blazers to improve again and be one of the true contenders?

1) obviously health. A healthy Lillard and so forth...
2) The return and continued growth of Nurk.
3) Zach needs to take a big step forward. Fouls, a consistent touch on offense and learn to hold ground.
4) One of Baz or Mario needs show some serious skills, especially in team defense.
5)Whiteside needs to harness his crazy and return to defensively abuse anyone who dares enter the paint.
6)Simons and Hood need to be the best versions of themselves, consistently.


What else?

You’re asking what has to happen for them to IMPROVE? So that would be a trip to the Finals, correct? For that to happen, I think the talent has to improve.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Mario comes out as the point forward ET was never able to be.
Tolliver thrives in Stotts' scheme and is a consistent 40%+ from 3; or
Skal--emboldened by his game 82 showing--comes out and plays to his heretofore untapped potential

 

[THE HCP]

Mario comes out as the point forward ET was never able to be.
Tolliver thrives in Stotts' scheme and is a consistent 40%+ from 3; or
Skal--emboldened by his game 82 showing--comes out and plays to his heretofore untapped potential

I swore he was asking for REALISTIC examples FAMS!

 

[PDXFonz]

I think we will do well if everybody on the team comes out and plays well, outscoring their opponents each night.

 

[e_blazer]

I swore he was asking for REALISTIC examples FAMS!

Mr. 40 Wins has spoken.

http://www.sportstwo.com/threads/2018-around-the-nba-november.336996/page-27#post-4596029

Only off by 13 last year.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I would say that the most important things are Ant and Zach playing at average-starter level, and Hassan playing at 2016-Hassan level.

 

[ABM]

Whew!! For a second, there, I thought this was gonna be another political thread!

 

[e_blazer]

Whew!! For a second, there, I thought this was gonna be another political thread!

On the main board? That NEVER happens.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Whew!! For a second, there, I thought this was gonna be another political thread!

If that were the case, @Further would be asking what needs to go left.

 

[BigGameDamian]

The list could be endless, but what are the most important things that need to go right for the Blazers to improve again and be one of the true contenders?

1) obviously health. A healthy Lillard and so forth...
2) The return and continued growth of Nurk.
3) Zach needs to take a big step forward. Fouls, a consistent touch on offense and learn to hold ground.
4) One of Baz or Mario needs show some serious skills, especially in team defense.
5)Whiteside needs to harness his crazy and return to defensively abuse anyone who dares enter the paint.
6)Simons and Hood need to be the best versions of themselves, consistently.


What else?

That we DO NOT fall in love with players!

 

[PtldPlatypus]

That we DO NOT fall in love with players!

I don't think the fan sentiment about players will have any impact on the players' performances (apologies to @swish3)

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Simons wins MVP.

 

[tlongII]

We need to stay relatively healthy.

Whiteside needs to be a force defending and serviceable on offense.

Pau needs to stay healthy until Nurk is back.

Nurk needs to get back to his stellar level of play by April.

Collins needs more respect from the refs.

Ant needs to show that he’s ready for 20-25 minutes per game.


If those things happen we can win it all. We are NOT lacking in talent.

 

[BBert]

That we DO NOT fall in love with players!

Quite the opposite. The higher the fan level of excitement, support, and energy, the more likely the team will find a higher gear.

 

[calvin natt]

Good list. Your #3 is my first thought.

 

[Chris Craig]

Mr. 40 Wins has spoken.

http://www.sportstwo.com/threads/2018-around-the-nba-november.336996/page-27#post-4596029

Only off by 13 last year.

I was off by the letter 0

 

[Chris Craig]

Everything needs to go right

 

[stampedehero]

The list could be endless, but what are the most important things that need to go right for the Blazers to improve again and be one of the true contenders?

1) obviously health. A healthy Lillard and so forth...
2) The return and continued growth of Nurk.
3) Zach needs to take a big step forward. Fouls, a consistent touch on offense and learn to hold ground.
4) One of Baz or Mario needs show some serious skills, especially in team defense.
5)Whiteside needs to harness his crazy and return to defensively abuse anyone who dares enter the paint.
6)Simons and Hood need to be the best versions of themselves, consistently.


What else?

Stotts and staff have to adjust to defensive and offensive counter points in a game. The GS series proved that Dame could not drive into traffic and be effective. The defensive aspects truly did suck.

 

[mook]

1. The role players this year need to play as well as the role players we lost from last year. Given that Harkless, Aminu, Jake, Turner, Curry and Leonard were all kind of "meh," it's not exactly a ridiculously high bar to reach.
2. Dame and CJ have to stay healthy. Dame has quietly turned himself into a physical specimen in the past few years, and CJ notoriously avoids contact. So this seems likely.
3. Whiteside has to follow the same playbook that somehow turned Kanter into a passable team defender (and not just a shot blocker). I think this is highly likely--Leonard is the only big I can think of whose defense didn't steadily improve in our system with regular minutes.

I'm pretty sure Hood, Bazemore, Gasol and Simons are who I think they are. If they play like I expect, they'll be just fine.

If all the above goes according to plan, we'll get 50-54 wins, and maybe home court in the first round.

Hezonja and Collins are the real "high upside/high downside" wildcards in my mind. They could really bounce up, or really disappoint. I feel like Collins especially is on the verge of really breaking through, but I remember feeling that way about Meyers for like 6 years, so I just don't trust it. He's such a foul magnet.

Simons is the real "definite baseline/high upside" guy for me. At a minimum he gives us much of what Seth Curry did. But this could also be the year where he takes a CJ McCollum-like leap into semi-star.

 

[James lamphear]

First we must stay healthy and then old guys and new guys must come together as a unit. Collins going a least get you what Aminu gave them maybe more. Ant going give you what Curry gave them at least the offensive side. Bazemore going score as much as Harkless and Pau going be better then Leonard. To me right now on paper we better then last year especially on offensive.

 

[gatorpops]

I swore he was asking for REALISTIC examples FAMS!

Are you implying that the players we sent out were/are better talent than the players we have kept? Those players went to the “Finals in the west!

 

[illmatic99]

My #1 is Zach popping into a legit starter on the Nurk level. He does this and we become a title contender (if healthy). He plays a position of need and can bring skills to the team that we don't really have anywhere else. I'm not anticipating a Siakam-type leap, but if he can play 30 mpg and give us 14/8/2 on decent efficiency, we instantly take a leap in our overall projection.

Simons is kinda superfluous but still nice to have as a three headed monster at the guard positions. My expectations for me definitely don't correlate with the hype this summer.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

This for some of the refs and star players.

 

[THE HCP]

Are you implying that the players we sent out were/are better talent than the players we have kept? Those players went to the “Finals in the west!

I was replying to what the Platypus guy posted. #WishfulThinking

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Quite the opposite. The higher the fan level of excitement, support, and energy, the more likely the team will find a higher gear.

#BustABucket

 

[Further]

I'm pretty sure Hood, Bazemore, Gasol and Simons are who I think they are. If they play like I expect, they'll be just fine..

I’m not as certain I know what these players are yet, especially Simons and Hood on the defensive end. And that’s what we really need, some high quality guard snd wing defense to take pressure off Lillard and CJ. Both Simons and Hood especially, have the physical ability and tools to be excellent on D, but neither have made that a focus yet. Game changer if that could happen.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Yes it's two months until training camp, but there are moments when I get really excited about what this team could be, as currently constructed, going into the stretch run and into the playoffs.

Guards-->a three-headed rotation of Dame/CJ/Simons. 3 interchangeable dynamic scorers/playmakers complementing and supporting each other.
Wings-->What do you need? Offense? Hood. Defense? Bazemore. Playmaking? Hezonja. Any situation, we have an option. And the offense/defense potential of Trent/Little waiting and developing.
Bigs-->2 defensively dominant centers in Nurk/Whiteside, with 2 more talented young 7 footers in Zach/Skal to play alongside them. Plus Tolliver and Pau to provide steadying experience if needed.

I'm honestly glad we have a couple months to wait before the ball can begin; hopefully my enthusiasm will be tempered a bit by the time training camp starts up.

 

[Strenuus]

I have this crazy theory of what needs to go right:

Play the games right.


No further comments need to be made.

 

[Orion Bailey]

I have this crazy theory of what needs to go right:

Play the games right.


No further comments need to be made.

Coach the games right?